Chapter 12: The First Passage (1)

Sweet potatoes and regular potatoes.

They’re delicious as they are.

But when roasted over a fire, their sweetness is amplified to the max.

“Phew!”

I blew on it to cool it down and peeled back the leaves of the Clearwater Herb, revealing a perfectly roasted sweet potato.

‘Oh man, that smell is to die for.’

A sweet and earthy aroma.

The surrounding air was warmed by it.

Even without peeling the skin, the sweet scent of the roasted sweet potato wafted strongly. S

A bit smoky flavor added to it.

A sweet and savory smell tickled my nose.

Gulp.

The warm, sweet fragrance, as if lightly laced with roasted sugar, mingled in the air, stimulating my salivary glands.

The distinct earthy scent of the sweet potato lingered, evoking the feeling of being roasted in nature.

‘This is it.’

Swallowing hard once more.

I took a bite of the steaming sweet potato flesh.

“…!!”

My eyes widened as big as saucers.

A slight crispiness on the outside.

But the inside? Unbelievably soft.

A magical sweetness spread through my mouth.

Unlike the overpowering intensity of sugar, this warm, natural sweetness filled my mouth with pure delight.

A faint trace of mana wrapped around my tongue, deepening the sweet flavor and momentarily pulling me into a magical world.

‘This is insane. Truly insane.’

Wow.

Wow, for real.

It was so delicious that tears welled up in my eyes.

It melted in my mouth. In no time, I devoured the entire roasted sweet potato like it was nothing.

[Kyuuung… That delicious smell. So hungry.]

Our little Dania.

Her speech had become even clearer after waking up.

Nice.

You must be really hungry, huh?

Suppressing the urge to eat another one right away, I picked up another roasted sweet potato.

“How should I give this to her?”

It’s not a liquid, so can she even taste it?

For now, I carefully peeled the skin and placed it next to Dania.

Once again, the sweet aroma of the roasted sweet potato gently spread.

Ugh, it’s driving me crazy.

I really want to eat another one.

Slurp!

While waiting for Dania’s reaction, I squeezed the Clearwater Herb’s leaves and took a sip of the water.

Ohh—

It cleared my slightly scratchy throat in an instant.

This place is truly paradise!

[Kyuuung… So hungry.]

Oh no!

Sadly, nothing happened with the roasted sweet potato placed next to Dania.

It seems Dania can only taste liquids.

‘In that case…’

I opened the lid of a mana potion.

Then, I mashed the sweet potato.

Swish, swish.

I stirred it.

The taste might not be as good as the original, but maybe she could taste it to some extent?

Glug, glug!

As I tilted the potion bottle over Dania, the mashed sweet potato mixed with the mana potion oozed out thickly.

[Kuuung!! D-Delicious!!!]

An immediate reaction!

[Delicious, delicious, delicious!!]

Her reaction was intense.

Even the <Dragon Egg> trembled slightly.

Dania was completely enchanted by the destructive flavor of the roasted sweet potato.

“Hehe. Tasty, right?”

[Yup. So delicious!]

She loves it so much.

I feel proud.

“Come out soon. I’ll make it even tastier for you.”

Roasted sweet potatoes are truly the best when you take a bite while they’re still warm.

[I’ll grow big fast. I’ll come out! I’ll eat more roasted sweet potatoes!]

I can feel her determination to hatch even sooner.

‘Her ability to express herself has definitely improved.’

As the egg grew larger, it seems she underwent rapid growth overnight.

‘Very nice.’

Grow quickly like bamboo shoots!

‘Maybe I should’ve mixed in some Tai Yin-Yang Essence.’

Mixing the sweet potato with the mana potion was tasty, no doubt, but it didn’t trigger the explosive growth that the did yesterday.

‘Still…’

Dania seems to be enjoying it.

If she’s happy, that’s all that matters.

As for Tai Yin Yang Essence, I’ll just brew some more tomorrow.

“Alright then…”

A quick glance.

The roasted potato hasn’t even been touched yet.

Should I try peeling the potato?

Outside, dipping roasted potatoes in sugar was such a treat.

Drool.

Just thinking about that taste makes my mouth water again.

Immediately, I peeled back the cheongmyeong herb leaf wrapped around the roasted potato.

Sniff sniff.

A harmonious aroma of nuttiness and simplicity wafts up.

The deep, comforting flavor of the potato itself.

The crispy, smoky scent from the fire-roasted skin added to it, evoking the cozy feeling of roasting potatoes by a campfire.

The smell was like sinking into a warm, snug blanket, bringing comfort and ease, with the anticipation of the potato’s soft, warm interior.

Crunch.

I thought I’d filled my stomach with roasted sweet potatoes just a moment ago, but the scent of the roasted potato made my stomach rumble again, demanding more.

Chomp!

I took a big bite of the roasted potato.

Instantly, a rich, savory flavor exploded in my mouth.

The fire-roasted skin was crispy, while the inside was creamy and soft.

The nutty flavor flowed deeply, as if the energy of nature itself was being transferred to me.

The lingering trace of mana swirled in my mouth, mingling with the subtle sweetness of the potato, dancing on the tip of my tongue.

It brought a satisfying sense of fullness.

“Haaa…”

A meal that warmed both body and soul.

It was a mystical, extraordinary experience I’d never had before.

Beyond just simple food, it carried a mysterious flavor that infused strength into both body and mind.

Plop!

“I’m full.”

I lay down on the soft fur enveloping Dania.

With a full stomach and a warm back, drowsiness washed over me.

‘There’s so much to do…‘

I need to rebrew Tai Yin Yang Essence.

I need to finish planting the remaining spirit herb seeds and continue cultivating them.

I need to check if there’s an accessible passage.

But I’m so sleepy.

Just a quick nap… just for a bit.

As I was about to drift off into sleep—

“…!”

A private message on the Super Net.

I’d set it up so I’d immediately know if someone I allowed to contact me sent a message.

Someone was urgently looking for me.

***

[Love Orphanage]

“Here it is.”

Ahn Jaeseong.

The place he arrived at with Kim Jeonghwan.

This orphanage, run by Kim Jeonghwan, was home to 130 children.

“The director’s here!”

“Wow!”

As Kim Jeonghwan entered, the children, who had been peeking out like meerkats, rushed toward him.

The oldest were a couple of high school-aged kids.

Below them were a few who looked like middle schoolers.

The rest were all young children around ten years old.

“Director, who’s the man next to you?”

130 children.

Ahn Jaeseong felt their gazes, a mix of curiosity and wariness, fixed on him.

He took a deep breath and gave a gentle smile.

“Hello, I’m Chef An Jaeseong. I came here today to make some really delicious food for you all.”

To ease the children’s wariness, he wore a warm smile, looked into each child’s eyes, and spoke in a gentle voice.

“Chef uncle!”

“Oooh.”

“Can we eat a lot of yummy food?”

“I don’t know… We have so many mouths to feed, so maybe we’ll only get a little each…?”

The children still whispered cautiously among themselves. Some kids’ eyes sparkled at the word “chef,” but they seemed to think they wouldn’t get to eat much.

Hearing this, An Jae-seong felt a surge of emotion well up inside him.

“Today, everyone will get to eat their fill. Don’t you all like potatoes and sweet potatoes? Today, I’m going to make some unbelievably delicious potato and sweet potato dishes. Once you taste them, you probably won’t ever forget the flavor.”

Bending down to meet the children’s eye level, An Jae-seong spoke again.

“Potatoes and sweet potatoes!”

“Ooh! I want potatoes…”

“I like sweet potatoes.”

“Sounds yummy.”

At his words, a few children began to smile shyly. Their tension seemed to ease little by little.

‘Ah.’

Looking at the children’s innocent, hopeful eyes, he felt that surge of emotion again.

‘Alright. Let’s do this.’

The tasting event was canceled. He decided to use all the remaining potatoes and sweet potatoes for the kids.

He sent private messages to BuldakPpokkumMyun and Carbonara, explaining the situation. They both readily agreed, even praising him for doing something wonderful.

He also posted on SuperNet, stating that due to the circumstances, the tasting event was canceled, and he planned to treat all the children at the orphanage instead.

He knew the post might attract criticism—some might call him a liar, saying it’s an excuse since it can’t be verified or that he’s just seeking attention.

But that didn’t matter.

Right now, the kids were his top priority.

“When I was young, I really loved potatoes and sweet potatoes too. So today, I’m going to make them in my favorite way, extra special. There’s no one here who absolutely hates potatoes or sweet potatoes, right?”

He spoke playfully in an even more relaxed tone.

A few children cautiously burst into giggles, and the overall wariness began to melt away.

“Director Kim, is it okay if I show off my cooking skills for the kids today?”

“I’d be so grateful if you did. But what about the tasting event—”

“It’s fine. Today, I want to focus only on cooking for the kids.”

“Chef An…”

Director Kim’s face showed a mix of admiration, gratitude, and guilt.

An Jaeseong responded with a bright, understanding smile.

“The most important thing in cooking is love. Today, I’m going to put my heart into making food for all of you. Just wait a little, and let’s make some delicious memories together.”

At his words, the children’s expressions brightened. Their wariness completely melted away, replaced by smiles and anticipation.

‘Alright then.’

First, he needed to secure more potatoes and sweet potatoes.

It’d be great if <Archmage Emperor> could sell him more.

He wasn’t sure if they had enough stock or if they’d sell to him separately.

If he couldn’t get those special potatoes and sweet potatoes from Archmage Emperor, he’d make do with regular ones and do his best.

He immediately sent a private message to Archmage Emperor.

Luckily, Archmage Emperor responded right away.

……….

[Archmage Emperor]: An orphanage? All of a sudden?

[BangbaedongGourmet]: Originally, I was going to hold a tasting event with someone named Rainbow Potion, but somehow I ended up preparing food for the kids at an orphanage they run.

…..

He didn’t expect much.

From what he’d seen, Archmage Emperor wasn’t the type to make decisions based on sentiment.

Even if they had extra potatoes and sweet potatoes, they’d only sell if the deal made sense…

……

[Archmage Emperor]: How much do you need? I’ll send as much as you need right away.

……

…Huh?

That easy?

Excited, An Jaeseong quickly replied.

…..

[BangbaedongGourmet]: I think at least 150 potatoes and 150 sweet potatoes would be enough to prepare the dishes comfortably.

…..

150 of each, 300 in total.

From Archmage Emperor’s perspective, it might be a larger request than expected.

Did they even have that much? Even if they did, they might not send it all if they thought it was too much.

…..

[Archmage Emperor]: I’ll send 200 of each. Please accept the delivery.

…..

?

??

?????

200 of each? 400 in total.

Oh my gosh.

…..

[Bangbaedong Gourmet]: 2,200 pieces each?

[Archmage Emperor]: Yes. I won’t even take coins. Instead, please make it as delicious as possible for the kids. And make sure they eat their fill.

…..

Unbelievable.

Archmage Emperor.

He was a man with warm blood running through his veins.

An Jaeseong gratefully accepted Archmage Emperor’s support.

He immediately began cooking with a total of 400 potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Today.

He would prepare the most unforgettable dish of their lives for the kids.

His eyes burned with passion like never before.

***

「The transaction between individuals has been completed.」

A message popped up in front of him.

“I never imagined Bangbaedong Gourmet would go to Uncle Kim’s orphanage.”

Who would’ve thought the potatoes and sweet potatoes he sold would lead to such a story?

He later checked what had happened through SuperNet.

Most of the kids at Uncle Kim’s orphanage were ones he knew.

Of course, he had to support them if they were cooking for those kids.

“The potato and sweet potato fields have turned into a wasteland.”

After pulling out about a hundred stems, the potato and sweet potato fields were left barren in no time.

Two-thirds of it was gone.

But that’s okay.

Potatoes and sweet potatoes can be replanted.

“Eat well, kids.”

Especially Junho and Sua.

Those two are crazy about potatoes and sweet potatoes.

They’ll love it.

Imagining those kids eating happily brought a smile to his face.

“Well then…”

He quietly stood up.

Something he had been meaning to check.

Now that he was level 10, would there be a passage he could enter?

He stepped toward the leftmost passage.

It felt like this was the one accessible to someone at his level.

“Oh!”

It worked!

Last time, he was blocked and bounced back from here.

He passed through what felt like a thin membrane of air and entered the passage.

Cautiously, he ventured a bit further inside.

“…!”

He soon saw it with his own eyes.

A sight beyond his wildest imagination.